The Hound of Sarune
by ThisSilenceIsMine
Summary: Sarune Tarune is a vicious man who breaks whatever laws and codes that stand between him and profit. His right hand, Tasa Rhyzul, known as the Hound of Sarune, is an equally brutal woman with an axe that has taken countless lives. However, even she is not above the weight of guilt, and one night pushes her towards thoughts of self-liberation.


The moons hung low in the sky, the night was growing late and few walked the lands at this hour, much less the farmlands. The only living souls for miles to see were a small Lalafellen man dressed in high quality fabrics besides a tall, armored Elezen. The gender of the Elezen was hard to gauge from the thick armor hanging off her form, but closer inspection revealed faint clues.

"This is the place." The Lalafell said, arms crossing over his chest with a rattling of metal coming at his every move. He looked up at the Elezen, who in turn peered down at him. "Time for business, Tasa."

Business was rarely truly business. Sarune Tarune dealt in a variety of things that were mostly illegal, this was no exception. Tasa looked up towards the small, one story shack that was the meager home to the farmers that worked the well kept land. The crops looked good, but not good enough. She'd noticed more than a few underwhelming pieces of produce, some revealed pests as she turned the rotund vegetable over with her foot.

So began the reason for their collection, as Sarune called it. The family, most likely the man of the house, had made the mistake of borrowing money from her employer some time ago, something that never ended well for those involved. It was the reason she stood beside him now, axe already in hand as she made her way towards the wooden door of the shack.

Curiously she reached out, a gloved hand testing the handle to see if it was locked. Doors were usually locked for her, tonight offering her no respite from the stress of breaking them down. Breaking them down, however, was what Sarune paid her for. Tasa hoisted up her axe in both hands, Sarune hanging back by the cart as not to get hit by any collateral damage. Tasa was a messy worker, but a brutally efficient one like most warriors were.

The first crash of her axe didn't earn any response, the Elezen working the blade free before sending it soaring down yet again with the door practically giving way already. A scream answered it, most likely the wife of the family as Tasa split the door almost down the middle. A final, wide swing sent the door falling inward while the Elezen pushed her way inside.

Her armor was as much for intimidation as it was for protection, the horned helmet and red color scheme gave the appearance of a void spawn in the dark. The room was only illuminated by the moonlight, but she saw clear enough a sight she never truly wanted to see. Usually she dealt with her kind, the bad sort of folk that wouldn't be missed if their debts got "collected" in the manner she did. These weren't her kind of people.

By the bed stood a tall, bronze skinned man who looked to be about middle age. He was dressed in small clothes, as to be expected of a man who had just been sleeping. He looked like a farmer, body well built and weathered from ages in the sun. In his hand he held a bronze sword, the sort of sword someone bought with no intention of truly using it. The way he stood told Tasa everything, he was no threat.

Behind her Sarune made his way inside, stepping over the large chunks of the door that laid on the floor. He held up a lantern, illuminating the already sad scene even further.

"Victor, Victor." He muttered, clicking his tongue disapprovingly after he spoke the man's name, "I haven't seen any letters with your name on them in awhile, you know I'm not the sort of man that likes being kept waiting."

"I... We just need a little more time, Sarune Tarune, please. The crops are good this year, we'll have your money, just... Give us a moon. All we ask." he pleaded in a voice as old and weathered as he was.

"You think I had my hound here break down your door to give you more time, Victor? Please... We're here to collect your debt now. I'm going to go out on a limb and say you don't have the gil, do you?" he asked knowingly. The man shook his head slowly, the grip on his sword tightening.

"I ain't got it..." He muttered. Sarune raised his eyebrows in mock shock.

"My word... I'm just... So, so sorry then Victor, but it seems we'll have to take something to make the difference." He said, walking around the house. He idly inspected a few knick knacks, treasures of no value, before finally turning towards the bed.

Still wrapped up in the thin sheets sat Victor's wife. A pretty, slightly aged girl who was much like her husband. Tanned skin, dark hair, and dark eyes, obviously a native of Thanalan. Sarune held out a hand, pointing towards the woman.

"Ah well will you look at that. She'll certainly make thrice the amount of gil you ever could." He said coldly. Victor stepped between Sarune and his wife, brow furrowed intensely.

"You ain't havin' her. Ain't havin' anything. I'll stick you both if you come closer." he growled out. Sarune merely shrugged his shoulders, moving towards the door.

"Well I guess I'm not match for you, Victor... I'll just be leaving. Oh... Wait that's right." he said slyly, turning around in the door frame to look at Tasa. "I have you. Kill him." he instructed.

The words made Victor act before Tasa could, wildly running towards the armor clad woman with his sword raised high. Tasa quickly reached out before he could even bring the blade down onto her, hand catching him by the throat. The man grunted, sword clattering to the ground as both his hands went to hers to try to break her grip. Terror filled his eyes as he was lifted from the ground, the blackened helm giving away nothing of the warrior who held him.

" 'm sorry." she uttered in a deep tone before lifting up the head of her axe and thrusting it forward. The wicked tool was crowned with a spear like spike, something she used to proper effect when the time came. The thing pushed straight through the man, his body falling limp in a matter of seconds which Tasa let fall to the ground.

Silent tears rolled down his wife's face, glistening across her features when they caught the moonlight streaking through the windows. Sarune peered over the shattered body of the man in front of him, shaking his head before turning towards the woman.

"Alright Tasa... Let's get out of here." The Lalafell said. Tasa took a step over Victor's body towards the woman, only for a voice to stop her in her tracks.

"Daddy?" A young boy's voice came from the short hall leading off towards two other rooms of the shack. All three of them turned to spy the small child standing curiously there, the darkness hiding the majority of the gore from his eyes.

"Shite..." Uttered Sarune.

"No..." Lamented Tasa. She turned towards her employer, the man heaving a heavy sigh and shaking his head.

"He saw my face. You know what you gotta do Tasa."

"Can't we take 'em wit us?"

"Too young, can't work, no profit in it and I am not letting him get comfy while we wait to sell him." He replied. The boy's mother tried to move from the bed but a stern look from Sarune stopped her in her tracks. Subtly, Tasa wiped the blood from her axe's tip on her armor, holding it non-threateningly by the head and taking a step towards the boy.

"Ey kid... Let's git ye back ta bed, a'right?" She said in as soothing a tone as she could. The boy looked between her and his father laying on the ground.

"What happened to daddy?" he asked, hands clutching the stuffed moogle in his hands a little tighter.

"We jus' 'ad ah.. Lil disagreement is all. 'e'll be better in the mornin', promise." she replied. He nodded, turning around to start back to his own room with Tasa following behind him.

The room itself was fairly simple, although a few wooden toys were strew about the floor. Tasa stepped carefully over each as if they'd see some use after this night. The boy climbed into the bed, sitting up and staring at Tasa now that the moon fully illuminated her. Despite how terrifying she looked, the boy seemed unphased.

"Hey.. You're one of those adventurers, aren't you? You have that super cool armor that my daddy always talks about them having." The excitement in his voice raised as he spoke, mind filling with all sorts of things to say. "Are you a warrior of light like the stories?!" He asked quickly. Tasa shook her head.

"Nay.. Jus' a sailor doin' 'er job. Guess ye could call me an adventurer... But I ain't the sort ta be one ah them 'eros a legend." she explained. The boy nodded, although he seemed a little disappointed. Tasa stepped closer to the bed, setting her axe on the ground and pulling her helmet off. The deep purple hair was kept short and out of her face, a very unflattering but efficient style for the woman. " 'ere.. Lemme tuck ye in."

"You're an Elezen? I've never met one of those before. I always thought the sailors were only Hyur and Roegadyn." He said, "That's what daddy always said. He says his brother used to be one but then went missing since then. Never got to meet him."

Tasa shook her head a little, humoring the child as she helped him get situated in his bed. The sheets weren't particularly soft, but they were probably the best they could do.

"Ah yeah? Well.. Wha's 'is name eh? Maybe I know em. Give em a lil 'ello from yer pops 'n tell em ta swing by fer a visit." she said.

"His name was uhh... Alekxander I think." he replied, squirming a little under the sheets as he got comfortable. The name made Tasa freeze for a moment, eyes wide before she nodded once.

"Aye.. I know an Alek 'er two.. I'll ask em about yer pops." she said before picking up her axe and straightening her back. "Ye sleep well kiddo. Maybe ye kin be big 'n strong like yer pops soon."

"Good night miss." he said politely, turning over and putting his back to Tasa. She thanked him for that, sparing her the horror of having to see his face one last time before she put him to rest. She raised her axe, the keen edge glinting in the moonlight before it was set in motion.

The crash of the axe falling onto the bed, shattering the wooden frame, was heard throughout the house. After a moment of silence Tasa finally came forward from the room, her axe dripping with yet more fresh blood. The sight made the woman still sitting on the bed finally break, the silent tears turning to an open sobbing.

"It's nothing personal." Sarune said, as if such a thing would comfort her. Tasa eventually stood next to the bed, staring down at the midlander that could only bare to look at her in fleeting glances.

"Just... Do whatever you want, you monsters..." she said.

"I won't prolong yer return ta em." Tasa said softly to her. Sarune was already turning to leave as a sudden, sickening sound came from behind him. He quickly spun around, features twisting into anger as he saw Tasa pulling the blade of her axe out of the woman's shoulder, the body limp as it fell back onto the bed.

"The hell Tasa? Their debt is coming out of your pay." he yelled, the Elezen already pushing past him out of the door. "Where the hell are you going?!" he called.

"Ta get a shovel." She called back.

Sarune threw his hands up in defeat and took the cart away while Tasa worked.

"Elezens..." he grumbled as he rode back to their base of operation. The woman found herself digging until morning to make sure her victims rested as they had lived, as a family.


End file.
